Update (3/16/01): After using the Toho
extensively for over a year and a half, I have a few minor updates to my original review.
I am still quite pleased with the camera, especially for backpacking. These
updates mostly concern a few accessories I've tried that improve the usability of the Toho
with both short and long lenses. I've left the text of my original review intact (in
gray text), and to make them easier to distinguish, my new comments
appear intealcolored text.

Figure 1. The Toho Shimo FC-45X

General Description:

No, that's not a typo. It really is T-O-H-O (not Toyo). Most people have
never heard of the Toho brand. Probably because they do not advertise in the North
American popular press and until recently they had no US importer (see "Pricing and Availability" below). The Toho Shimo FC-45X is a
unique, lightweight 4x5 monorail camera designed for use in the field. It is
manufactured in Tokyo, Japan by Toho Machine Co. Ltd. Unlike conventional wood/metal
field cameras, the Toho FC-45X does not fold up into a single self-contained unit for
transport. Instead, it is transported in two pieces: the telescoping monorail unit
and the bellows/frames unit (See Figure 2.). The camera has full movements
(rise/fall, shift, tilt and swing) on both the front and rear standards.

Figure 2. Disassembled for Transport

Weights and Measures:

Manufacturer's Spec.

Measured Value

Weight

1.4kg

3 lb. 1.3 oz.

1.385kg

3 lb. ¾ oz.1

Max. Bellows Extension

364mm

14.33"

390mm

15.35"

Min. Bellows Extension

46mm

1.81"

55mm2

2.17"

Lensboard Weight (#0)

NA

NA

50g

1¾ oz.

Lensboard Dimensions

NA

NA

100mm

3.94"

Notes:

1 This is the measured weight of the camera, complete as supplied by the
manufacturer (unlike most products advertised as "lightweight" these days, this
one actually weighed less than the published spec.). This weight does not include
the two padded soft carrying cases supplied by the manufacturer (See Figure 3.).
Although these cases do a good job of protecting the camera during transport, they add 6
oz. of weight, and I did not find them necessary (see the "Getting
Around" section below for more information on how I carried this camera in my
pack). Note: I have been informed that these cases are no
longer included when purchasing a Toho FC-45X camera. Given the way I generally
carry the camera, this isn't a big deal for me (the only time I use the Toho soft cases is
to provide additional padding in an airline carry-on when I fly with the camera). If
such soft cases are desired, equivalent products can easily be obtained from other
sources. The case that holds the rail section (red case on the left) could be
replaced by a zoom/telephoto lens case of appropriate size. In fact, that's exactly
what it is (mine has a little tag on it that says, "ZOOM POUCH 24" and it is
made in China). Gara Gear, and others make soft padded cases that could be used in
place of the silver bellows/frames case formerly supplied by Toho. One of the larger
lens wraps from Domke or Calumet would also be a viable substituted. Or, like me,
you could just wrap this section in your darkcloth when carrying it in the field.
Also, after a couple of simple, non-permanent modifications (see "Modifications"
below), I was able to reduce the weight of the camera to 2 lb. 12.5 oz. without
compromising performance.

Figure 3. The Toho Carrying Cases

2 I am unable to determine what reference points the
manufacturer used when measuring the minimum bellows extension of 46mm. I measured
55mm as the minimum separation between the front surface of the ground glass (film plane)
and the front surface of a blank lens board. This equates to the flange to focal
distance (ftf) specified by lens manufacturers for infinity focus.

Note: Throughout this review I will be comparing the Toho Shimo FC-45X to the Anba Ikeda Wood View and the K.B. Canham DLC.
The Anba is a little, lightweight, double extension wood field of traditional design that
is in the same weight class as the Toho. The Canham is a heavier triple extension
metal camera of innovative design. The Anba has been my dedicated backpacking
camera for several years and the Canham has been my general purpose camera, used for about
90% of my photography, for the last 2½ years. I included comparisons to these two
particular models for two reasons: I am intimately familiar with both (and will eventually
add in depth reviews of both to this web site); they represent opposite ends of the
spectrum in field camera design, construction and capability. By comparing the Toho
to these two very different cameras, it will give the reader a better appreciation of
where the Toho fits in compared to the two extremes.

Initial Impressions:

This camera is certainly a unique design. Every effort appears to have been made
to keep the weight to a minimum while still providing a camera with generous (compared to
other 3 lb. class field cameras) bellows extension and full movements. This has lead
to a couple unusual compromises. The first is that the entire bellows/frames unit
must be detached, rotated 90 degrees and re-attached to switch between horizontal and
vertical orientations. This was, no doubt, done to save the weight of a separate,
detachable vertical/horizontal back. This is indeed unconventional, and sounds
cumbersome (and for most, will probably be the biggest criticism of this camera). It
is slower than swapping a conventional vertical/horizontal back, but is not too bad once
you get used to it (see, "Ease of Use" for more on this
issue). The second oddity in the design is the shape of the lensboards. Unlike
every other large format camera I have ever used, the Toho lensboards are not square, or
even rectangular - they are ROUND (See Figure 4.). This seems to be a byproduct of
the unique method of switching between vertical and horizontal orientations. The
round lensboards allow easy rotation of the lens without completely removing it.
This allows the user to position the lens controls/markings in the preferred manner
without taking the lens off the camera (again, to learn more about the practical aspects
of this feature, see "Ease of Use" below). One other
unique aspect to the FC45-X is the availability of the monorail section in numerous
colors. The standard color is flat black, but the monorail section is also available
via special order (at slightly higher cost) in red, green, blue, gray and gold.

Figure 4. Toho Lensboard - Copal #0 Size

After playing around briefly with the camera indoors, it was obvious it was not as
rigid as a Sinar or Linhof monorail. Still, I didn't expect it to be (and anybody
who expects a 3 lb. camera to be as rock solid as one weighing 3 - 5x as much will be
disappointed). The real comparison is how stable is it compared to other cameras in
the same weight class. Or, more importantly, is the rigidity adequate for the
desired use. The only way to know for sure, is to use it extensively in the field
under a variety of conditions with a wide range of lenses.

Quality of Construction:

The Toho is made almost entirely out of machined black anodized aluminum. The fit
and finish of the aluminum parts is good, but not quite up to the high standards of
something like an Arca Swiss or Sinar. The only defect I've been able to find with
my sample, is the springs on the front and rear standard locking knobs quickly deformed
and got in the way when tightening these controls. The purpose of these springs
appears to be to provide a modest amount of tension when the knobs are loosened for
positioning the standards along the rail. This is more of a tactile nicety than a
necessity. The camera functions perfectly well with the springs removed.
Still, I replaced the stock springs with some I picked up at the local hardware store for
a few pennies. They are made of lighter gauge wire than the stock springs, plus they
are longer and of slightly smaller diameter. After extensive use, they seem to
duplicate the nice feel of the originals without any deformation or binding. Again,
completely removing these two small springs has no real effect on the operation of the
camera. So, if no suitable replacements can be located, simply removing the springs
will solve the problem. Other than these two springs, I found no defects with the
fit and finish of my sample.

The bellows are made of a good quality outer material, lined with a nice satin like
cloth. Just based on visual inspection, I could not determine if the bellows outer
material was a thin leather, or a high quality synthetic (I'm leaning towards synthetic).
In any case, the Toho bellows appear to be made from much higher quality materials
than the bellows on my Anba Ikeda (basically a paper outer material). They aren't as
flexible as the "wunderbellows" on my Canham DLC. Nor do they suffer from
bellows sag, like the Canham. The outer fabric on the Toho bellows has a glossier
black appearance than the dull nylon of the Canham bellows. All-in-all, the Toho
bellows seem to be pretty much what you'd expect in a camera in this price range.
Nothing innovative (like the Canham bellows), but they appear to be of sufficient quality
and durability that they should hold up reasonably well under typical field conditions.
The bellows on my sample bow slightly to the right when fully extended. This
looks a little odd, but doesn't effect performance (the bowing is slight with no
possibility for vignetting). Not sure if this is function of the bellows design, or
just a minor manufacturing variation in my particular sample.

The camera also comes with a light weight, removable pop-up focusing hood. The
sides of this focusing hood are made from a satin lined synthetic material. I don't
care much for such focusing hoods, and usually end up resorting to a dark cloth for
focusing and composing anyway. In which case, the hood just gets in the way, but it
does serve double duty as a ground glass protector during transport. Since I prefer
a focusing cloth anyway, I decided to replace the pop-up focusing hood with a much lighter
ground glass protector. For details, see the "Modifications"
section below. The only other point of interest on the construction of the camera is
the material used for the ground glass frame. Unlike the rest of the machined parts
on the camera that are all made of black anodized aluminum, the ground glass frame is
machined from some type of black composite material. I'm guessing it's either Delrin
or ABS. This was evidently done to help keep the weight down. Whatever the
material, it seems well suited to the task.

In the Field:

The ultimate test of any camera is how it performs under actual use. I was
originally considering this camera exclusively for backpacking, where weight is always a
concern. It is nearly identical in weight to the Anba Ikeda Wood View I have been
using as a backpacking camera for many years. On paper, the Toho has a significantly
longer bellows and more extensive movements. That makes it a likely candidate to
replace the Anba. Still, not everyone has the need/desire/money to have a camera
dedicated to such a specific purpose. So, I was also interested in how the little
Toho would perform as a general purpose field camera. With that in mind, I have
actually tested the camera under both circumstances. The first was a 10 day trip to
Colorado and Utah where most of the shooting was close to the vehicle, with a few short
dayhikes (up to 3 miles round trip). On that trip, I carried a full complement of
lenses from 75mm - 500mm. Specifically: 75mm f4.5 Nikkor SW, 90mm f8 Nikkor SW,
110mm f5.6 Super Symmar XL, 150mm f5.6 APO Sironar-N, 210mm f5.6 APO Symmar, 300mm f9
Nikkor M and a 360/500mm f8/11 Nikkor T-ED set (single front element/shutter with both
360mm and 500mm rear elements). The second trip was a 6 day backpacking trip to
Grand Gulch in Southeast Utah. On that trip, weight was definitely a concern, so I
limited myself to three very small, light lenses. They were a 90mm f6.3 Congo Wide
Angle, 150mm f6.3 Fujinon W and a 240mm f9 Fujinon A. As a result of those two
trips, combined with a little shooting closer to home, I have now exposed over 300 sheets
of film with the Toho with a wide assortment of lenses, under a huge variety of
conditions. The camera has been used in everything from 19 degree cold to temps in
the 90s - wind, sun, rain, you name it. It has been used to photograph distant
vistas and close-ups of ancient rock art. It has been thoroughly put through its
paces, and here's, in my opinion, how it did.

Useable Lens Range: All large format cameras represent a
compromise in terms of useable lens range versus compact size and light weight. In
addition to price and weight, useable lens range is always right at the top of my list
when considering any large format camera. Traditional flat bed field camera designs
can be generally lumped into two categories: lightweight (3 - 4 lb.) double extension
models with about 12" of bellows and heavier (5 - 7 lb.), full featured triple
extension models with 18", or more, of bellows extension. Also, in general, the
double extension models usually have a non-interchangeable bellows (no provision for a bag
bellows for wide angle use) and the long bellows models usually allow switching to a bag
bellows to accommodate wide angle lenses (there are occasional exceptions, such as the
Canham DLC, which due to the unique bellows material, does not require switching to a bag
bellows for wide angle use). Of course, both designs easily accommodate lens in the
midrange (say 110mm - 300mm or 360mm telephoto), and the long bellows designs have an
obvious advantage when it comes to using longer lenses. A monorail design, such as
the Toho has fewer restrictions placed on the bellows length. The designer is free
to choose a maximum length falling between the two classes described above, and that's
exactly what the Toho designers did. So, does that translate into any added benefit
in actual use. Of course, that depends on the individual photographer's needs, but
lets take a look at what it means, in general, in terms of useable lens range.

Figure 5a. The Toho with a 75mm Lens Focused at Infinity

Let's start with the wide angles. Just a word of warning, in case you aren't
already aware, I'm not a big user of ultrawide angle lenses. The widest lens I
currently own is a 75mm (See Figure 5a.), and it is my least used focal length. With
that in mind, here's what I think of the "wide angle friendliness" of the
Toho. Like the traditional double extension flat bed designs, wide angle use with
the Toho, in particular the ability to use movements, is limited by the inflexibility of
the compressed bellows (or, in common terms, the "scrunching" of the
bellows). Without the ability to change to a bag bellows, rise/fall and shift are
limited to about 3/4" with a 75mm lens focused at infinity. With a 90mm lens,
movements become less restricted. In subjective terms, based on actual usage, I
would say this particular camera allows "modest" movements with a 75mm lens and
"moderate" movements with a 90mm. This is real similar to my experience
with the short (~12") bellows flat bed designs. Bellows "scrunching"
aside, using a wide angle lens on this camera is a piece of cake. It's possible to
slide the front and rear standards together without any additional considerations (unlike
some of the triple extension flat beds that allow unlimited movements with the bag
bellows, but require all sorts of view camera gymnastics to get the standards close enough
together to focus the lens).

At first, it sounds like this is probably not the ideal camera for those who like to
work a lot with ultrawide lenses. Perhaps it is not (but then, neither is any of the
other short, fixed bellows designs). However, Toho makes a unique accessory to help
alleviate this problem. Warning: I have not used this
device, and only comment on it here based on what I've been able to learn from the
manufacturer's literature. The device I am referring to is the Toho Eccentric
Lens Panel. To quote the Toho brochure, this device allows "Rise, Fall and
Shift without any physical restriction from bellows". This device is not cheap
(about $225), but then neither is a bag bellows. It is basically a panel within a
panel that allows movement of the lens eccentrically 0 -15mm in any direction. The
outer panel has the same exterior dimensions as the standard Toho round lensboards.
The inner panel is designed to accommodate wide angle lenses mounted in #0 shutters.
This is not simply a lensboard with the whole drilled off-center (a common old trick), but
a combination of two panels that allows displacement of the lens in any direction from 0
(centered) to 15mm. Since most lenses short enough to require this adapter (say 65mm
and shorter) have very limited coverage (typically in the 166mm - 170mm range), this
adapter will allow full advantage of movements up to the limits of such lenses. This
is a unique solution to the age old problem of using movements with wide angle lenses on a
field camera. Although the traditional solution of a bag bellows may be more
versatile, the Toho Eccentric lens panel is cost competitive with a bag bellows; it is
considerably less bulky, lighter, less fragile to carry in the field, and appears
faster and easier to use in the field. The more I think about this solution, the
more it appeals to me. As stated, I am not a huge user of ultrawide lenses, but I
will still try to get my hands on one of the Toho Eccentric Lens Panels for a more
detailed review of this interesting device. OK, I've had a
chance to use one of these extensively in the field and here are my comments on the Toho
Eccentric Lens Panel.

I had one of the Eccentric Lens Panels for several months and
used it extensively with my 75mm Nikkor SW (which was my shortest lens at the
time). I also used it briefly with my Schneider 80mm Super Symmar XL.
Although it increased the maximum displacements permitted with these lenses, I found it
wasn't really necessary for my modest needs. For me, I get all the movements I need
with a regular Toho board without the bellows causing problems. However, for lenses
shorter than 75mm, or if you require extreme movements with a lens in the 75mm range, I
highly recommend the Eccentric Lens Panel. This is one trick gadget. It is
very easy to use, and a lot more convenient than a bag bellows. My initial impression was
that it felt rather stiff. Well, it is stiff and it needs to be to work (to hold the
lens in place when doing lateral shifts). It only really felt stiff when I tried to
turn it by hand without a lens mounted in the board (see Figure 5b). With a lens in
place, it turns smoothly by just grabbing the lens and turning it until the desired
displacement is reached (see Figure 5c.). It then holds the lens firmly in
place. I recommend using it with the lens positioning screw installed on the back of
the shutter. New lenses usually come with this pin installed, but most lensboards
don't have a mating dimple to use them. The Eccentric Lens Panel has the dimple, so
the pin should be installed to prevent rotation of the lens within the board. This
keeps the lens from unscrewing from it's retaining ring as its position is manipulated on
the Eccentric Lens Panel. Although I found it unnecessary for my needs (landscape
photography with lenses no shorter than 75 - 80mm), I still think the Toho Eccentric Lens
Panel is a clever, easy to use solution to an age old problem. It's about the same
price as a bag bellows, but a lot faster and easier to use, plus easier to carry in the
field with no fear of damage. If you intend to use ultrawide angle lenses (47mm XL -
65mm), the Eccentric Lens Panel will permit displacements up to the coverage limits of
these lenses (on 4x5), and make your life a whole lot easier to boot.

One other common problem when using ultrawide lenses, especially with some triple
extension cameras, is the front rails creeping into the image area. There are a
couple ways to get around this with the Toho. The first is to just slide the rear
standard onto the front half of the telescoping monorail (Note: this is not necessary with
a 75mm lens). The only problem with this method, is that only the rear half of the
monorail is geared for focusing. When using the camera in this manner, you lose
geared focusing capability. Other than the geared focusing track, the front and rear
halves of the monorail are identical, so you could swap the two halves when using wide
angles (See Figure 6.). Workable, but tedious (it would require switching the halves
back when using normal or long lenses). Toho offers another solution. They
sell a small separate wide angle mount (sorry, no pricing information at this time) that
basically lets you use the rear half of the telescoping monorail in stand alone
mode. This is probably only slightly less tedious than swapping the two rail
halves. I think a far better solution would be to add a geared focusing to the front
half of the monorail. This should be a piece of cake, since the front and rear rail
halves are otherwise identical. The focusing track is a small, light single geared
rack less than 4" long that is mounted to the top of the rear rail with three tiny
screws and only weighs ½ oz. (See Figure 7.). Adding an identical geared rack to
the front rail half would allow geared focusing over the entire length of the rail with a
minimal increase in weight. It would also be a lot less tedious than the other
solutions, and would be easy to install, if the part was available. Since the
camera works perfectly well with my shortest lens (75mm), I have not pursued this option
further. Still, combining this modification with the Eccentric Lens Panel would make
the Toho FC-45X VERY wide angle friendly. It would easily accomodate lenses in the
55 - 65mm range. Unless the Eccentric Lens Panel adds more than 4mm of extension,
the 47mm Super Angulon XL would also be useable. With an image circle of 166mm and
an ftf of 59.1mm, it is the shortest lens ever made capable of covering 4x5.
Something for you ultrawide fans to consider.

Figure 6. Minimum Extension (55mm) - Front and Rear Rails Swapped

Figure 7. Geared Focus Track on the Rear Rail Half

Now let's move onto the long lenses. This, in my opinion, is one area where the
Toho has a distinct advantage over the traditional double extension field cameras.
On those designs, the maximum bellows is usually limited to somewhere in the 11.5 -
12.5" range (many of the metal drop bed designs, such as the Horseman FA/HD, Wista
VX/SP/RF, Toyo AII/AX, etc. suffer from similar bellows length limitations). With an
extra 3" or so of maximum extension, the Toho is capable of using longer lenses than
these other models. With my old Anba, I was limited to using either a 300mm
non-telephoto (like the Nikkor M), or a 360mm telephoto (Nikkor T-ED) as my longest lens
(the 400mm Fujinon T will also work with these cameras, but I don't own one). With
the 390mm maximum extension, the Toho is capable of using non-telephoto designs up to
360mm. However, for most people, this may be a moot point (for info on lightweight
lenses in this focal length range, see my article elsewhere on this web site on "Lightweight Lenses 300 - 450mm").

Figure 8. The Toho with a 500mm Telephoto Focused at Infinity

On a more practical note (for most), the added 3" of bellows extension on the Toho
makes it useable with the 500mm Nikkor T-ED telephoto (See Figure 8.). The
flange-to-focal (ftf) distance for this lens is 349.9mm (13.78"). This, of
course, makes this lens unusable on the short bellows wood fields. This is no
lightweight lens (810g), but I used it extensively with the Toho on my trip to Colorado,
and found the Toho to be up to the task. Also, according to the specs, you could
just barely focus the 600mm Fujinon T at infinity (ftf = 383.9mm) using the Toho.
However, I would not recommend this combo. Just to focus at infinity, you'd have the
bellows stretched to maximum. Forget anything closer than infinity, or using any
camera movements (the bellows are stretched tight as a drum at this point). Plus,
the 600mm Fuji T is a very heavy lens (1000g or 2 lb. 3.2 oz). I think all that
weight racked all the way out to maximum would be more than the little Toho could handle.

The one other "accessory" I've been using lately that
allows the Toho to function with a wider range of the lenses is a custom made extender
board. The reason I put "accessory" in quotes is that this is NOT a Toho
supplied item. It was the product of some custom machine work by Steve Grimes.
I sent Steve my specs and he did the rest. First, just let me start by saying
this custom made extender is MUCH more elaborate than necessary for most applications.
However, I wanted to be able to test it with a variety of lenses.
Specifically, 14" f9 Goerz L.D. Artar, 360mm f10 Fujinon A and 450mm f12.5 Fujinon
C. In order to test the extender under different conditions with all three lenses, I
had Steve make the length of the extender and the shutter size it would accept
configurable. All this flexibility greatly increased the complexity of the machine
work required, which added greatly to the cost. It also makes the extender a little
heavier than need be for a given length. In hindsight, I probably would have been
better off to have Steve make two or three dedicated extenders, rather than one
configurable model. That said, here's what I had him build and here's how it all
works on the Toho.

Figure 8b. shows all the pieces of the configurable extender
board I had Steve fabricate. The base spacer is designed to mount right on the Toho
camera just like a conventional Toho lensboard. All the spacers and the two lens
disks are threaded and knurled so they can be screwed together in any desired combination.
The accompanying table shows the weights and lengths of each piece. The
weight and added extension of any configuration can be found by simply adding the weights
and lengths of the individual pieces. For example, in it's longest configuration,
the extender consists of the Base Spacer, Spacer 2, Spacer 3 and the Copal #1 disk with a
total length of 4 3/8" and a weight of 220g (see Figure 8c.). All exterior
surfaces are hard black anodized for durability, and all inner surfaces are painted flat
black to minimize reflections.

Figure 8c. The Toho Extender in Maximum
Length Configuration

With a maximum bellows extension of 390mm, the Toho
FC-45X is capable of focusing non-telephoto lenses in the 14" or 360mm focal
length range for distant subjects. However, that leaves very little headroom for
movements or closer focusing. For example, with the 14" L.D. Artar or the 360mm
Fujinon A, is is only possible to focus down to about 18 - 20 feet. And at that
distant, the bellows are stretched so tight, that there is no possibility of using
movements. With the extender in its shortest configuration, it becomes possible to
focus down to about 5 - 7 feet with these two lenses. Or, for distant subjects,
substantial movements are possible. Figures 8d. and 8e. show the extender in minimum
length configuration with these two lenses mounted. In this configuration, an
additional extension of 1 11/16" (43mm) is provided. This combination of Base
Spacer plus lens disk weighs 95 - 100g. Not too bad, considering a flat Toho
lensboard weighs 50g. Although it can focus these lenses at infinity on a flat
board, I feel they become much more usable with the additional extension. If you
wish to use non-telephoto lenses in this focal length range, it is definitely worth the
small weight penalty of the extender. The combined weight of a non-telephoto lens
plus extender is still much less than the weight of a 360mm Nikkor T-ED on a flat board.

The REAL appeal of this extender project is the
ability to combine the delightfully light and compact 450mm Fujinon C with an ultralight
camera like the Toho. With a flange to focal distance of 425.3mm for infinity focus,
that is just not possible without some added extension. With the extender in its
minimum configuration (1 11/16"), it actually becomes possible to focus the 450mm
Fujinon C at infinity, but JUST barely. The bellows are stretched within a few
millimeters of their limit, so there is no hope of focusing closer or using any movements.
At the other extreme, with the extender at a maximum length of 4 3/8" (111mm),
it is possible to focus down to about 11 feet, or use substantial movements for subjects
reasonable distances from the camera. Even with just the Base Spacer plus Spacer 2,
an additional 3 3/8" (86mm) of extension is provided allowing this lens to be focused
down to about 16 - 17 feet. Figure 8f. shows the extender at maximum length with the
450mm Fujinon C mounted. As can be seen in Figure 8g. with this configuration
focused at infinity, there is nearly 3" of bellows extension left over for movements
and closer focusing.

Originally, I had two concerns about using such a
long extender. The first was mechanical vignetting when using movements. I had
Steve Grimes make the diameter of the spacers as large as possible to prevent this
problem. Testing with the maximum extender length indicates there is absolutely no
mechanical vignetting when employing the maximum rise the Toho is capable of achieving,
even with the lens wide open. In other words, experimental testing has proven that
mechanical vignetting is not an issue. The second concern was reduced contrast due
to internal reflections. The 450mm Fujinon C has a HUGE image circle, and that means
there is a lot of excess, non-image light bouncing around inside the extender. Due
to their mechanical and physical properties, camera bellows do a good job absorbing most
of this non-image light. So, on a camera with longer bellows (and no extender) this
is rarely an issue. The extender is both smaller in diameter and lacks the geometric
advantage of the pleated bellows in absorbing this light. For that reason, I have
initially been using a lens shade to help limit the excess light entering the
camera. I have also taken a few images without using a shade. So far, I have
not noticed any reduction in contrast or other ill effects that could be attributed to
internal reflections within the extender. However, before I am ready to declare this
a total non-issue, further testing is definitely in order. In the end, it is
possible that the use of the extender could cause a very slight reduction in contrast in
some lighting situations. In these extreme cases, proper lens shading techniques
(always a good idea anyway) might alleviate any problems. Once I have had a chance
to further test the extender under a wider variety of lighting conditions, I will post an
update. Due to the physical geometry involved, this is absolutely not an issue with
the extender in its shortest configuration (as used with the 14" L.D. Artar and the
360mm Fujinon A).

Finally, if you just desire simple dedicated
extender for a specific lens, both the cost and weight would be less than my more
elaborate configurable model. A dedicated extender in the 3 1/2" - 4"
range for use with the 450mm Fujinon C would cost about $125 (contact Steve Grimes for an exact quote) and likely weigh less
than 150g. If I were getting one made today, that's the route I'd go.

One final consideration when considering lens/camera compatibility is the
size of the opening in the front standard, and the size of the lensboard. In other
words, how large a lens can this thing hold. To me, putting a huge lens on such a
light camera seems to miss the whole point, but some of the newer wide angle designs
(especially the Super Angulon XL series) have huge rear elements, so anyone considering
the Toho as a general purpose camera may find this information useful. The diameter
of the opening in the front standard (circular light trap) is 80mm. So, if you have
a 90mm f5.6 Super Angulon XL with an 86mm diameter rear element, you're out of luck
(unless you want to unscrew the rear element from the shutter every time you mount/remove
the lens). The 72mm Super Angulon (75mm rear diameter) is fine, as is every other
current production lens 90mm or shorter. In fact. other than the 90mm Super Angulon
XL, I can't think of any lenses with a rear diameter exceeding 80mm that are commonly used
on 4x5 field cameras. If you do use such large lenses, check the diameter before
ordering a Toho. BTW, just for a frame of reference, the circular opening in the
front standard of a Linhof (4x5 Technikardan and Technika) is about 84mm, and a Horseman
(FA or HD) is about 65mm.

Pre-drilled lensboards for the Toho are available for #0 and #1 shutters only.
There is no #3 lensboard available from the manufacturer. I suspect there are two
reasons for this. First, any lens in a #3 shutter is probably bigger and heavier
than most users would ever want to use on such a lightweight camera. Second, the
mounting method for attaching #3 shutters to lensboards has changed over the years, and
depending on how the shutter is mounted to the board, it might not clear the two bars used
to secure the lensboard to the front standard of the Toho. The space between these
two bars is 90mm and the outside diameter of a Copal #3 shutter is 102mm. The Copal
#3 shutters I currently own are of two varieties (and I suspect there may be more).
The first variety has a chrome plated ring for setting the shutter speeds and dates from
the 1970s. The shutters I own of this type have a mounting ring that can either be
used like a modern day retaining ring (mounted behind the lensboard) or the older style
lens flange (mounted on the front of the lensboard using four small screws). If used
like a modern retaining ring the mounting bars will not clear the body of the
shutter. However, if used like an old fashioned lens flange, there will be
sufficient space for the lens mounting bars to secure the board without interference from
the shutter. The same is true for the current all black #3 shutters. The ones
I currently own of this variety come with a mounting spacer. Placing this spacer on
the front side of the lensboard (where it belongs) allows sufficient clearance for the
lens mounting bars. So, with reasonable care, it would be possible to use both
varieties of #3 shutters on the Toho. However, the two varieties of #3 shutters
mentioned require different variations of the lensboard. So, even though it may be
possible, using such a heavy lens/shutter on such a light camera is far from ideal.

One other note on the lensboards. Although the Toho round lensboards are well
made and relatively inexpensive (see "Pricing and Availability"
below), the Toho is also capable of using the standard Linhof/Wista lensboards. This
was obviously a designed-in feature that I discovered when preparing for my trip to
Colorado. When I ordered the camera, I only requested 5 lensboards (three #0 and two
#1). I figured that would be enough to thoroughly evaluate the camera and make a
final purchase decision. The camera actually showed up earlier than expected.
I had originally intended the Grand Gulch trip in October to be the Toho field test, and
was planning on taking my Canham DLC to Colorado. Since I had the camera in hand, it
made since to use the Colorado trip to put it through it's paces as a general purpose
camera. Problem is, I wanted to take a wider range of lenses with me to
Colorado. So, not enough lens boards and no time to get more. That's when I
discovered that the circular light trap on the front of the Toho was a perfect match for
the raised round ridges on the back of the Linhof/Wista boards I already had for use with
my Anba. A quick test confirmed that the seal was indeed light tight. Using the
Linhof/Wista style boards requires that the board be mounted at an angle. It looks a
little odd (See Figure 9.), but works like a charm. I used lenses mounted in
Linhof/Wista boards extensively on my Colorado trip, including my much-used 210mm APO
Symmar, without a single problem. So, if you already have several Linhof/Wista
boards on hand, or wish to share lenses with another camera that accepts this style of
board, have no fear, they are fully compatible with the Toho (note: make sure your boards
have the raised circular ridges on the rear, some cheap imitation boards lack these ridges
which are essential for a light tight seal).

Figure 9. Using a Wista Board on the Toho

Ease of Use: As mentioned above, the Toho is
transported in two separate pieces: the monorail unit and the bellows/frames unit.
To use the camera, the monorail is first attached to the tripod. As the camera comes
from the factory, this is accomplished using a standard ¼-20 threaded socket in the the
round monorail support base. Personally, I prefer the convenience of an Arca style
quick release system (see "Modifications"). The next
step is to mount the bellows/frames unit to the monorail. This is accomplished using
the two large clamping knobs on the front of each vertical standard. This is a
different procedure than unfolding the typical wooden field camera, but in practice takes
about the same amount of time. As a comparison, I measured the set-up time of the
Toho against my trusty old Anba. For an apples:apples comparison, I used Arca style
quick release plates for mounting both cameras to the tripod. I used a stop watch to
time how long it took the mount the camera on the tripod and unfold/assemble the camera
with all movements in the neutral positions. I timed five runs with both cameras,
and in all cases, for both cameras, the times were between 20 and 25 seconds. So,
that's a wash. The time to assemble the two piece Toho was offset by the fact that
the Anba has six knobs that need to be tightened to lock the movements in the neutral
positions. The Toho has a slight advantage in that it can be transported with a lens
installed. So, assuming it's the lens you want to use, that can potentially
save a little set-up time. On the other hand, if it's not the lens you wish to use,
you have to uninstall it and install the desired lens. Disassembly times for both
designs are also comparable.

Speaking of installing lenses, the Toho requires loosening/tightening four knobs to
swap lenses. In this regard it is definitely a slower than most other 4x5 cameras I
have used. Again, for sake of comparison, I timed this procedure on both the Anba
and the Toho. Swapping lenses on the Anba took approximately 6 - 7 seconds.
For the Toho, it was in the 18 - 20 second range. BTW, these times are in the
controlled comfort of my home and would likely take a little longer in the field.
The extra 12 or 13 seconds may, or may not be, significant. I'm just trying to
illustrate that changing lenses on the Toho is more cumbersome than other typical field
cameras.

Same goes for switching between vertical and horizontal orientations. On the
Toho, not only do you have to completely remove, rotate and re-install the entire
bellows/frames unit, you also have to re-zero the front rise when switching between
vertical and horizontal. With the Anba (like most other field cameras) you simply
remove the back, rotate it 90 degrees and re-install it. For the Anba, this takes
about 4 - 5 seconds, compared to the 25 - 30 seconds it takes to make the swap on the
Toho. Again, it's not really the absolute times I'm trying to emphasize. This
is one area where the compromises in the Toho design make it differ substantially from
most other field cameras. By comparing the times, I'm attempting to convey that
changing vertical/horizontal orientation on the Toho is a slower, more involved process
than doing so on the typical field camera.

Movements: When using movements, I found the Toho to be a
pleasure to use compared to most other field cameras. Being a monorail design means
that all the controls are easily accessible no matter what focal length lens is being
used. The controls are logically placed, and the knobs are large and easy to
operate. Full movements on both front and rear standards, with all controls located
in the same positions on both standards, makes using the camera a joy. For example
my Anba does not have any direct shift capability on either standard. A shift can be
accomplished indirectly by using both front a rear swing (which are also quite limited and
crudely implemented on the Anba), but this is cumbersome and tends to be imprecise (no
easy way to tell if the standards are precisely parallel). On the Toho, all
movements are accomplished directly. No indirect movements are required (although
additional front rise can be accomplished, if needed, by pointing the camera up and using
the front and rear tilts to re-align the standards). The swing and tilt movements
have very solid detents at the neutral positions (unlike the Canham, which has no detent
for the swings), and the rise/fall and shift movements have obvious visual indicators for
the neutral positions. This makes squaring up the camera with all movements
in their neutral positions a piece of cake (again, unlike the Canham which is rather
imprecise in this regard).

Figure 10a. Full Front Rise Combined with Rear Fall

Figure 10b. Front and Rear Tilts

Figure 10c. Front and Rear Swings

Figure 10d. Front and Rear Shifts

Figure 10e. A Very Generous Complement of Movements

In terms of displacement, I would characterize all the Toho movements as
"generous" for a field camera (See Figures 10a. - e.). In terms of
absolute displacements, it's only slightly less generous than my Canham, but much more so
than the Anba. The Toho literature lists the available tilts as ±30 degrees
and the swings as ±25 degrees on both standards. In actual practice, the forward
front tilt is limited only by the bellows (not that it has any practical application, but
the front can be tilted forward beyond 90 degrees). Front and rear shifts are listed
as ±18mm and ±20mm respectively. In actual practice, you can get a little more
(about ±27mm front and ±25mm rear). In horizontal configuration, the front rise is
listed as 24mm (and front fall is 21mm). In actual use, you can push this a little
to about 30mm of front rise. which can be combined with 6mm of rear fall for an effective
rise of 36mm (a little less than 1.5" ). In vertical orientation, the spec is
13mm front rise (and be pushed to about 19mm) and 6mm rear fall for a total effective rise
of 25mm (1"). Of course, as mentioned above, additional rise can be
accomplished indirectly if needed (See Figure 11.). In fact, other than an
occasional need for additional indirect rise (with lenses of sufficient coverage), I can't
imagine a situation in the field where the Toho movements would not be more than
sufficient.

Figure 11. Additional Front Rise using the Indirect Method

Focusing: Focusing the Toho is accomplished using a single,
large, horizontal knob/dial at the base of the rear standard (See Figure 12.). As
mentioned above, only the rear rail has the mating gear track for fine focusing.
When changing lenses, rough focusing is accomplished by sliding the telescoping rail
halves to the approximate correct position, and then fine focus is achieved by dialing it
in using this knob. I like the location of the focusing knob near the rear of the
camera. It's easy to locate while under the dark cloth, and doesn't require reaching
far forward, like cameras with front focusing, when using long lenses. The control
can be operated with either hand, but I prefer to tweak the focus with my left hand and
use my right hand to tighten the focus lock knob. The focusing action is smooth and
precise. I like both the design and implemetation of the focusing mechanism on the
Toho. It makes focusing the camera a simple, painless process.

Figure 12. The Focusing Mechanism

Rigidity: As mentioned above, it's no Sinar. But, for such
a lightweight camera, it is amazingly rigid. Like most cameras, it's least rigid at
full extension (exactly where you need it to be most solid). At full extension, it
definitely locks down much tighter than the Anba (which gets very rickety over the last
1" of extension). The problem, and my Canham is the same way, is not a question
of things locking down tight. It's a function of the "springiness" of the
metal. Unlike the little Anba, which is just plain weak at full extension, the Toho
(and the Canham) vibrates like a tuning fork when when bumped at full extension. The
key is just to allow sufficient time for all vibrations to die down before tripping the
shutter. In other words, wait ten or fifteen seconds after touching the camera to
trip the shutter. As I said, the Canham, a much heavier, more robust camera, has
this same characteristic. Also like the Canham, it doesn't seem to be a problem
during actual use. As long as you allow sufficient time for all vibrations to dampen
out and the camera to return to its steady-state condition before tripping the shutter,
you should notice no ill effects on your images. On the Colorado trip, I used the
500mm Nikkor T-ED extensively and there was no sign of camera vibration on any of my
transparencies. Of course, when using shorter lenses, the camera is very rigid
(again, amazingly so for such a light camera). So, it's no Sinar, but it does the
job (and who'd want to carry a Sinar on a six day backpacking trip?).

Modifications: Being a former engineer, I'm
always looking for ways to improve everything I use (it's just my nature). In
general, I found the Toho design to be very well conceived and executed. It was
obviously designed by someone who is also a photographer. It has full movements with
controls that are easy to use and logically located. It is very lightweight, but
still decently rigid with a more generous bellows extension than most cameras in the 3 lb.
class. The accessories are few, but they also appear well thought out and designed
to complement the basic camera without adding excessive weight or bulk. That said, I
did find a couple things to change. I made two small, but I think significant,
non-permanent modifications. Here's the details.

Tripod Mount: As mentioned above, the stock tripod mount was a round
platform with a standard ¼-20 mounting thread. I found this solution lacking in a
couple of regards. First, I prefer the Arca style quick release mounting clamps over
conventional threaded tripod mounts. They are faster and more convenient to use with
less chance of dropping the camera when mounting/dismounting. Also, they often
provide a more rigid connection between the camera and support system. That was
definitely the case with the Toho. The stock round tripod mounting base appeared to
be a weak link in the rigidity of the camera/tripod system. The surface area where
the base connected to the monorail was quite small and of odd shape (round). I
replaced this base with an Arca style quick release plate from Really Right Stuff (their
model #B80). The holes in this plate lined up perfectly with the mounting holes in
the Toho rail. So, by simply unscrewing the stock circular tripod mount and bolting
on the RRS plate, I got a faster, more convenient method of attaching the camera to the
tripod, PLUS it also improved the rigidity of the system. As an added bonus, the RRS
plate was ½ oz. lighter than the stock tripod mount. The RRS plate arrived two days
before my Colorado trip, so I used it as is. With a little more time before the
Grand Gulch trip, I shortened the RRS plate down to 1 3/4" - the same length as the
Kirk Enterprises Arca style quick release clamp I use on my backpacking tripod (See Fugure
13.). This saved another ½ oz. of weight. So, in the end, faster, easier to
use, sturdier and an ounce lighter.

Figure 13. Stock Tripod Mounting Block and Shortened RRS
Replacement

Focusing Hood: The Toho came equipped with a removable focusing hood that
doubles as a ground glass protector during transport (See Figure 14.). As far as
focusing hoods go, it is an OK design, and the intention seems obvious - eliminate the
need to carry a focusing cloth. In practice, I personally, have little use for
focusing hoods of any design. Like most others (with the exception of the old all
metal Graphic models) the sides of this hood are made of a thin vinyl material that tends
to bow in when the hood is opened. This makes it hard to see the entire ground glass
without using your hands (which are needed for adjusting the tripod head and camera
controls when composing and focusing) to hold the sides of the hood fully open.
Plus, like all other such focusing hoods, it doesn't form a very light tight seal between
face and camera. This means stray light hitting the ground glass making it harder
to compose and focus. Finally, all of these hoods seem to be just a little too long
and get in the way just a little too much when attempting to use a focusing loupe.
So, I prefer to use a conventional darkcloth and a loupe for focusing and composing on the
ground glass. Based on my personal preferences, the only remaining benefit of the
hood was as a ground glass protector, and at 3½ oz. it seemed heavier than necessary for
that task. Since the method of attaching/detaching the hood was simple enough, I
decided to try something a little lighter as a ground glass protector (mind you, I've
carried my Anba in my backpack for years with no ground glass protector and never a broken
glass, but better safe than sorry). A trip to the local craft store yielded just
what I needed, some 1/8" think foam core. A 12" square section was cut
down in size to make four ground glass protectors for a whopping $1.80. The
original focusing hood was a hair under 1/8" thick, so I needed to add two thin
washers to the attachment points (another $0.10) to accommodate the slightly thicker foam
core (See Figure 15.). Total weight savings - 3¼ oz. The local craft store
only had the 1/8" thick foam core in white, but I'm going to try to locate some in
gray so my ground glass protector can double as a gray card.

So, after both modifications, the camera (with ground glass protector) tips the scales
at 2 lbs. 12½ oz. A total weight savings of 4¼ oz. (hey, that's almost 8.5%) with
no sacrifice in performance or function. IMHO, the mods didn't just make the camera
lighter, but easier to use and more rigid. Win:win.

Getting Around: Carrying large format
gear in the field is always an issue. Obviously, a lighter camera is preferable, but
it's not just a question of weight, bulk is also an issue. There is only so much
room in a pack, and the camera has to fit in there with everything else. The unusual
two-piece construction of the Toho may actually be slightly advantageous in this
regard. Taken on whole the two pieces of the Toho definitely take up more volume
than the Anba, and are probably on par with the Canham. However, what you get is two
small pieces rather than one big piece. The Anba and the Canham fold up clamshell
style. The Canham is a sturdy metal camera that comes with it's own padded case
which makes transporting it in the field a simple matter. I have always carried the
Anba in the field by simply wrapping it in my darkcloth and placing it in he bottom of a
small daypack with my lenses in protective wraps. Although the Anba is a wood camera
and the ground glass was protected only by the darkcloth, I never encountered any problems
carrying it in this manner. The Toho came with two small padded cases, which I used
on the Colorado trip. On that trip, the Toho, seven lenses (eight focal lengths),
film, meter, filters, etc. were carried in a Kelty Redwing pack with the addition of a
divider insert from a Pelican case (See Figure 16.). The bellows frame unit, in its
padded case, rode in the divider insert in the main body of the pack with the lenses,
meter and film (just as a side note, the Canham would not fit in this same divider set and
still allow room for all seven lenses). The monorail unit, in it's padded case, was
carried in one of the side compartments on the Kelty. This method worked fine and
offered the camera a good deal of protection with quick and easy access to all the lenses
(no individual lens wraps to fiddle with). For the backpacking trip to Grand Gulch,
I wanted to keep both the weight and bulk as low as possible. For that trip, I
eliminated the Toho supplied cases and carried the camera gear in a smaller daypack, The
North Face Yavapai model (See Figure 17.). Like the Anba, I wrapped the
bellows/frames unit inside the darkcloth for protection. Unlike the Anba, I also had
the 1/8" foam core for additional protection of the ground glass. I also
carried this section of the camera with a lens installed. That took up less room in
the pack, protected the ground glass from the front and occasionally made set-up/tear-down
go a little faster. This bundle rode in the main body of the daypack along with the
other two lenses (in protective wraps) and my film (Fuji Quickloads). The monorail
section was carried in an outer compartment on the front of the daypack without any
additional protection (it's all metal with no overly fragile parts). When not
photographing, the daypack was carried (along with my clothes) in the top compartment of
my large Kelty external frame backpack. This made it easy to pull the daypack out of
the larger backpack whenever I wanted to photograph something. It also meant I
could leave the larger backpack at the campsite and head off on dayhikes with my camera
gear. This is the same method I've been using with the Anba for years. I've
never had any damage to the Anba, but the Toho, with the ground glass protector and metal
construction, seems even less prone to damage in the field.

In North America, the Toho Shimo FC-45X is available from Badger Graphic
(800-558-5350). As of this writing, the price is $1295.00 (please note: this price
is subject to change based on currency exchange rates - best to call for current pricing).
Also, as of this writing, lensboards for the Toho are $25.00 each and the Eccentric
Lens Panel is $225.00 (again, best to call for current prices). In Great Britain,
the Toho Shimo FC-45X is available from Robert White with a current selling price is
£645. Lensboards are £15 each. From either source, call for prices and
availability in colors other than the standard black.

Conclusions:

The Toho Shimo FC-45X is lighter in weight than any of the currently available
traditional flat bed wooden field cameras. It also has a longer bellows, more
versatile movements and is more rigid than the lightweight wood models. Where weight
is a concern (i.e. backpacking, or long dayhikes), this camera excels. In some
operations (changing between vertical and horizontal orientations, and changing lenses),
it is slower and more cumbersome to operate than more conventional designs. In all
other respects, the Toho is a breeze to use. It is very easy to set all the
movements to their neutral positions. There are very positive center detents on all
tilt and swing movements, and clearly marked neutral positions on the rise/fall and shift
movements. Due to the telescoping design of the monorail, it is fast and convenient
to adjust the camera for any focal length lens. For landscape use, this camera
adequately handles lenses from 75mm - 500mm telephoto (or 360mm non-telephoto) without
additional accessories. With the optional Toho Eccentric Lens Panel, it is possible
to use even shorter lenses without the compressed bellows restricting movements.

I was initially interested in the Toho strictly as a backpacking camera, as a
replacement for my Anba Ikeda Wood View. The camera was sent to me on a trial basis
to see if it would be up to that task. Once I actually had my hands on the camera,
that decision was a "no-brainer". It was able to accommodate a wider range
of lenses than the Anba, was nearly as light (slightly lighter after the simple "Modifications" described above), had better movements and was more
rigid. That lead me to consider it as an all-around camera, possibly even a
replacement for my Canham DLC. At this point, I am holding onto the Canham due to
the longer bellows (it allows me to use the wonderful little 450mm Fujinon C, or the 720mm
Nikkor T-ED). Still, if you don't anticipate using lenses at the extreme focal
lengths, and don't mind the slightly more cumbersome method of swapping
vertical/horizontal orientations, the little Toho is amazingly versatile for such a
lightweight camera.

In terms of capabilities, the Toho Shimo FC-45X falls pretty much right smack in the
middle of the gap between the lightweight, short bellows drop bed cameras and the heavier,
long bellows models. I don't think it's any coincidence that it also falls between
the two extremes in terms of selling price. All view camera designs are a series of
trade-offs involving cost, weight, rigidity, versatility, etc. The Toho seems to
have been targeted at a definite niche between the two extremes (light, inexpensive and
limited vs. heavy, expensive and versatile), and it fills that niche quite nicely.
It is a well thought out and executed design that should appeal to the many large format
nature photographers who prefer a lightweight camera, but long for something a little more
versatile than the typical lightweight wood field. At it's current selling price, I
believe it represents a good value in terms of price vs. performance. If this
sounds like a camera that will meet your needs, I recommend checking out the Toho Shimo
FC-45X, in whatever color you prefer.